Management of materials on a construction site

ABSTRACT

In a computer implemented method for management of materials on a construction site, a status of a project which uses at least one material is determined by a computer system. A report is generated by the computer system. The report identifies a vehicle, from a vehicle pool, to be utilized to move the material and defines a load of the material which is to be moved by the vehicle, according to a mass haul plan, from a first location to a second location. The vehicle is identified based on results of a simulation. The status of the project is automatically updated by the computer system based on an actual size and an actual drop-off location of the load of the material moved by the vehicle. The computer system updates the report based on the updating of the status of the project.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATION (CONTINUATION)

This application is a continuation application of and claims the benefitof co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/325,642 filed on Dec.1, 2008 entitled “MANAGEMENT OF MATERIALS ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE” byMark Nichols et al., having Attorney Docket No. TRMB-2007, and assignedto the assignee of the present application; the disclosure of which ishereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments are related to the field of the management of materials on aconstruction site.

BACKGROUND

When planning a road, or railroad line, a model is created which showsthe final alignment contouring of terrain along the road. The finalcontouring includes earthworks and structures built in the course ofconstructing the road. An important part of the contouring includes acut/fill plan which details portions of the road which are cut and thenused to fill other portions of the road. For example, a portion of ahillside may be cut and used to fill in a ravine or gully. Typically,this results in a more level roadbed and reduced construction costs.

After planning which portions of the terrain are to be cut and filled. Amass haul diagram is created which details the mass, direction, andaverage length of haul of material from the cut site to the fill site.Typically, the mass haul diagram shows movement of material from thecenter mass of where the fill material is taken from the cut site tocenter mass of the fill site where the fill material is deposited.

SUMMARY

In a computer implemented method for management of materials on aconstruction site, a status of a project which uses at least onematerial is determined by a computer system. A report is generated bythe computer system. The report identifies a vehicle, from a vehiclepool, to be utilized to move the material and defines a load of thematerial which is to be moved by the vehicle, according to a mass haulplan, from a first location to a second location. The vehicle isidentified based on results of a simulation. The status of the projectis automatically updated by the computer system based on an actual sizeand an actual drop-off location of the load of the material moved by thevehicle. The computer system updates the report based on the updating ofthe status of the project.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part ofthis specification, illustrate and serve to explain the principles ofembodiments in conjunction with the description. Unless specificallynoted, the drawings referred to in this description should be understoodas not being drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method of asset management of a material on aconstruction site in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example system for asset management of amaterial on a construction site in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows an example cost scenario generated in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 4 shows an example construction site in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are an example flowchart implemented by a system forasset management of a material on a construction site in accordance withone embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of asset management of a material on aconstruction site in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram on an example computer system used inaccordance with one embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments, examples ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the subjectmatter will be described in conjunction with these embodiments, it willbe understood that they are not intended to limit the subject matter tothese embodiments. Furthermore, in the following description, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the subject matter. In other instances, well-knownmethods, procedures, objects, and circuits have not been described indetail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the subject matter.

Notation and Nomenclature

Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented interms of procedures, logic blocks, processing and other symbolicrepresentations of operations on data bits within a computer memory.These descriptions and representations are the means used by thoseskilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey thesubstance of their work to others skilled in the art. In the presentapplication, a procedure, logic block, process, or the like, isconceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps or instructionsleading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physicalmanipulations of physical quantities. Usually, although not necessarily,these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signal capableof being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwisemanipulated in a computer system.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise as apparent from the followingdiscussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present discussionsterms such as “defining,” “determining,” “generating,” “receiving,”“identifying,” “conveying,” “estimating” or the like, refer to theaction and processes of a computer system, or similar electroniccomputing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented asphysical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registersand memories into other data similarly represented as physicalquantities within the computer system memories or registers or othersuch information storage, transmission or display devices.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a computer implemented method 100 for assetmanagement of a material on a construction site in accordance with oneembodiment. In one embodiment, asset management comprises creating aplan for moving soil on a construction site. More specifically, a reportis generated which indicates scenarios for moving material from a cutsection to another location of the site such as a fill section. Inoperation 110 of FIG. 1, at least one cost scenario to move a materialwith a vehicle pool is defined. In accordance with one embodiment, avehicle pool for a site such as a construction site is defined. In oneembodiment, this further comprises identifying the types of vehicle(s)comprising the vehicle pool. For example, bulldozers, scrapers, dumptrucks, excavators, etc. are identified. The identification of thevehicle pool may additionally comprise performance parameters of thevehicles such as load capacity for moving material, ownership andoperating costs, vehicle speed, and other variables which indicate howefficiently and/or how quickly a particular vehicle of the vehicle poolcan move a material around a site. It is noted that the vehicle poolcomprises at least one vehicle which is, or will be, available at thesite.

The identification of the vehicle pool can also comprise theavailability of vehicles of the vehicle pool. For example, some vehiclesmay not be available due to scheduled maintenance, or a break down ofthe vehicle. Additionally, vehicles can be rented, or brought in fromother work sites, in order to increase the size of the vehicle pool. Inone embodiment, additional cost scenarios can be defined using differentmixes of vehicles in the vehicle pool. For example, a user can changethe makeup of the vehicle pool and generate a cost scenario to determinewhether renting additional bulldozers, trucks, or other earthmovingequipment is beneficial. Thus, the user can identify the mix of vehicleswhich will move the greatest volume of material on the site in a givenamount of time. Alternatively, the user can identify the mix of vehicleswhich will move the material at the lowest cost to the user.Additionally, the user can determine the impact that scheduledmaintenance, transfer of vehicles, or equipment breakdown, will have ona project.

Additionally, variables of the material being moved are used to definethe cost scenario. For example, at a construction site, the moisturecontent of soil being moved affects the cost of moving the soil aroundthe site. As a result, soil with a high moisture content is heavier, andtherefore more expensive to move, than soil with a lower moisturecontent because less wet soil can be moved per load. It is noted thatwhile the above example cites soil specifically, other materials can beincluded in the cost scenario. For example, pipes, pre-cast structures,or other materials which are utilized at the site can be defined in thecost scenario.

In operation 120 of FIG. 1, the status of a project which uses thematerial is determined. Again using the example of a construction site,a contractor receives a set of plans which show the initial, or current,terrain configuration of the site. This includes the elevation offeatures of the site such as hills, ridges, valleys, depressions, andthe like. The contractor also has a set of plans which show the desiredterrain configuration of the site. The desired terrain configuration ofthe site may be the final desired terrain configuration of the site, oran interim terrain configuration. Typically, these plans are in the formof digital site plans. As an example, a building site may require alevel area for buildings, as well as graded areas for roads. In the caseof a road, or railroad line, the final surface plan shows the path ofthe roadbed, grading of curves, as well as cut sections and fillsections in the terrain which reduce the number of changes in elevationin the road. These projects typically entail a large amount of earthmoving. From these plans, the contractor develops one or more planswhich show various stages of the construction site. Thus, the status ofthe project shows the correlation of the current terrain configurationof the site with a desired terrain configuration of the site.

The initial set of plans may also include geological data such as soiltypes at various locations of the site as well as the depths of thosesoil types. For example, the geological data may indicate that a layerof sand which extends to a depth of 10 meters overlies a layer of rockat a first location, while at a second location of the site, a 25 meterthick layer of clay exists.

Additionally, the status of the project can describe the distance whicha particular load of material is to be moved in the site. In oneembodiment, this comprises the distance to move the material from afirst location of the site to a second location of the site. As anexample, the distance to move material from a location in a cut sectionof the terrain to a location in a fill section of the terrain.Additional data used to determine the status of the project can includea road condition between the first location of the site and the secondlocation of the site. For example, if a road between the first locationof the site and the second location of the site is muddy, it can affectthe choice of vehicles used to move the material from the first site tothe second site and affect how quickly those vehicles can be operated.

Additionally, the status of the project can include how fast thematerial can be moved from the first location of the site to the secondlocation of the site. For example, if at least a portion of the roadbetween the first location of the site and the second location of thesite is paved, the material can be moved faster than if the road is notpaved. This can also affect how efficiently various vehicles of thevehicle pool can move the material around the site. Additionally,traffic conditions at certain times of the day affect how fast materialcan be moved to, from, or within a site. For example, during periods ofpeak traffic volume, the material cannot be moved a quickly as duringoff-peak hours.

The status of the project may also include a time when the material isto be moved from the first location to the second location. Becausepreparation of the second location may be necessary prior to moving thematerial from the first location, the status of the project may includevarious benchmarks which trigger subsequent events. As an example, thefinished site plan may specify a culvert at the second location of thesite. Therefore, it may be desired that the status of the projectindicates that the culvert has been completed at the second locationprior to moving fill material from the first location to the secondlocation. As another example, the availability of materials and/orequipment may be included in the status of the project. For example, ifthere is no asphalt, or machinery to lay it, available for a week, thepriority to fill a portion of the terrain may be reduced. This mayaffect the choice of vehicles to move the material from the firstlocation to the second location as a slower, more economical choice ofvehicles may become more desirable based upon the status of the project.Additionally, the time when the material is to be moved may also beaffected by on-site and/or offsite traffic conditions.

In one embodiment, the status of the project can comprise a weathervariable. For example, the status can include historical data that showsthat it rains 30% of the time when the project is to be built. This canaffect how many days the project may be delayed due to weather.Alternatively, this can affect the pace at which work proceeds, or thetype of work which can be performed, during the rainy weather. Thestatus can also include more current conditions such as the amount ofrain in the last day, week, or other prior period. This data can also beused to determine the moisture content of material being moved on thesite, as well as road conditions on the site.

In one embodiment, the status of the project can also comprise thevehicle operators available at a given time of the project. For example,some operators may be sick, on vacation, or otherwise unavailable at apoint in the project. Additionally, operator availability impacts wagesas a comparison of the benefits of working one or more operators atovertime wages rather than ordinary wages may be considered. Operatoravailability may also affect how quickly benchmarks in the progress ofthe project can be completed. Additionally, the productivity of aparticular operator may affect the status of a project. It is possibleto collect data which reflects the productivity of employees at a siteand use this data to determine how it will affect the status of theproject in the future. For example, a less skilled operator of anexcavator may only perform 75% of the workload which can be performed bya more experienced operator. This in turn affects how much material canbe moved at a site and how long it will take to move it.

In operation 130 of FIG. 1, a report is generated which identifies avehicle of the vehicle pool and defines a load of the material which isto be moved by the vehicle from a first location to a second location.As previously stated, the contractor develops a mass haul plan whichshows how material cut from one portion of the site is to be used tofill other portions of the site. The mass haul plan typically shows themass, direction, and average length of haul of material. However, thisfails to account for the distance each load of material travels when itis moved from a first location of the site (e.g., from a cut section inthe terrain) to a second location of the site (e.g., to a fill sectionin the terrain).

As an example, successive loads of material may have to be transportedfarther as the cut/fill process proceeds. Furthermore, conventional masshaul plans do not account for the various vehicles which can be used tomove the material. For example, a bulldozer can move material veryefficiently for short distances due to the fact that it does not have toload and unload material in the manner of a dump truck which thereforedecreases the round-trip time per load of material moved by thebulldozer. At greater distances, the bulldozer is less efficient atmoving material because it is slower than most dump trucks. Because theyfail to account for the vehicles which can be used to move the material,conventional mass haul plans also fail to account for how quicklymaterial can be moved from one location of the site to a secondlocation. Additionally, conventional mass haul plans fail to account forvariables such as the moisture content of the material being moved, thecost to operate various vehicle types, as well as the status of theproject. As a result, a conventional mass haul plan conveys a generalidea of the source and destination of material, but does not providedetailed information based upon the vehicle pool, status of the project,or other variables which affect the cost and/or the completion date ofthe project.

In contrast, one embodiment takes these factors into account whengenerating a report 231 which identifies a vehicle of the vehicle pooland a load of material which is to be moved by that vehicle from a firstlocation of a site to a second location of the site. This report canfurther identify each load of material that is to be moved by eachvehicle at a site. In one embodiment, the report takes into account theavailable vehicles of a vehicle pool; including vehicles which may bebrought in from an outside site such as a rental agency, or a secondworksite. The report also takes into account variables of the materialsuch as its moisture content which can affect how material can be movedper load, or how quickly it can be loaded, moved, and unloaded. Thereport also accounts for variables affecting the status of the projectincluding, but not limited to, weather and road conditions, availablevehicles and operators, operator productivity, times when materials canbe moved, other benchmarks in the completion of the project, how fastthe material can be moved, how far the material is to be moved, thecurrent and desired terrain configurations of the project, geologicalconditions, etc. In so doing, one embodiment can provide a detailedestimate of the cost of moving material around the site and/or identifythe most economical or fastest method of moving the material around thesite. The report can also identify how changes in the mix of vehicles ona site affect the cost, or the completion time, of a project. Thus,embodiments provide a report which describes in greater detail than aconventional mass haul plan, how to move material on a site to bettersuit the needs of a user.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example system for asset management of amaterial on a construction site in accordance with one embodiment. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 2, system 200 comprises a cost scenario generator210 which is configured to define at least one cost scenario to move anasset with a vehicle pool. Furthermore, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, anoptional moisture content estimator 211 is shown coupled with costscenario generator 210. In one embodiment, moisture content estimator211 generates an estimate of the moisture content of material at alocation in a construction site. In one embodiment, recent weather dataand geological data from a plurality of locations within a site areinput to moisture content estimator 211. As an example, weather data mayindicate that it has rained 5 inches in the last 2 weeks and that thesoil at a first location within a construction site is mainly clay.Using this data, moisture content estimator 211 can estimate themoisture content of the clay at that location. Alternatively, ameasurement of the moisture content of the soil from that location canbe input to cost scenario generator 210.

As an illustration, FIG. 4 shows an example construction site 400 inaccordance with one embodiment. In FIG. 4, a road construction projectis underway to complete a road 420. In FIG. 4, region 410 represents acut section within site 400. This cut material is then taken along road420 to a region 430 which represents a fill section of site 400. Withinregion 410, locations 411, 412, and 413 are shown as well as locations431, 432, and 433 of region 430. In one embodiment, moisture contentestimator 211 can receive the geological data from locations 411, 412,and 413 and estimate the moisture content of that material based uponrecent weather conditions. Alternatively, a measurement from locations411, 412, and 413 can be input to cost scenario generator 210.

Cost scenario generator 210 receives the estimate of moisture contentand vehicle pool data and generates at least one cost scenario 300. Costscenario 300 is described in greater detail below and defines the costto move material over a distance for different machine mixes from thevehicle pool. The cost scenario is also based at least in part onmaterial types and the moisture content of that material for a locationwithin, for example, site 400. In one embodiment, cost scenariogenerator 210 can use data from equipment handbooks provided bymanufacturers of earth moving equipment regarding the productivity costsand owning and operating costs of a particular machine. Alternatively,an operator of a machine on site 400 may have generated similar databased upon actual performance of each machine on site 400. This data canbe used to determine the volume of material that can be moved by eachvehicle on site 400 as well as the cost to move material for a giventime period based upon the cost to operate each individual vehicle. Inone embodiment, the availability of vehicles on site 400 is also inputinto cost scenario generator 210. This may include when vehicles will beunavailable due to scheduled maintenance, or because those vehicles maybe needed at another site at a specific time. The availability ofvehicles may also include a description of vehicles from other siteswhich may be transferred to site 400, additional vehicles which can berented or purchased for use on site 400 as well as when those vehicleswill be available. Thus, given the types of vehicles comprising thevehicle pool at site 400 at a given time, cost scenario generator 210generates cost scenario 300 which indicates the volume of material whichcan be moved in a time period, or the cost to move material in a timeperiod. Furthermore, cost scenario 300 can indicate the volume ofmaterial which can be moved in a time period, or the cost to movematerial in a time period based upon projected vehicle availability atthat time period.

In FIG. 2, system 200 further comprises a status determiner 220 which isconfigured to determine the status of a project. In one embodiment,status determiner 220 receives data about the current status of site 400as well as a desired status of site 400. It is again noted that thecurrent status of site 400 may be the initial status of the site beforeany construction has begun, or an interim status of site 400 based uponwork which has been completed. Similarly, the desired status of site 400can comprise an interim status of site 400, or the final desired terrainconfiguration of site 400. In one embodiment, status determiner 220creates a digital model of the current status of site 400 and thedesired status of site 400. This model, as well as cost scenario 300 andother site variables, can be used by simulator 235 to generate asimulation which models each load of material moved by a vehicle from afirst location to a second location of site 400.

As described above, status determiner 220 also receives site variablesof site 400 affecting the status of the project including, but notlimited to, weather and road conditions, available vehicles andoperators, operator productivity, times when materials can be moved,other benchmarks in the completion of the project, how fast the materialcan be moved, how far the material is to be moved, the current anddesired terrain configurations of the project, geological conditions,etc. In one embodiment, the current status of the project can beautomatically updated at regular intervals such as hourly, daily,weekly, etc. to assist in generating report 231 and/or machine work flowplan 241. This can also reflect differences in projected conditions atsite 400 as opposed to those which actually occur. For example, a drivermay be instructed to dump 40 cubic meters of material at a givenlocation. However, upon examining the work performed, it is determinedthat the driver actually only delivered 35 cubic meters of material at alocation 50 meters from the actual location. Using this information,status determiner 220 can alter its reporting of the current status ofsite 400 so that an updated report can be generated. Thus, statusdeterminer 220 is used to receive data indicating variables which mayaffect the selection of a course of action in moving material aroundsite 400.

In FIG. 2, system 200 further comprises an event receiver 225 which iscoupled with status determiner 220. Event receiver 225 is for receivinga wireless transmission from a vehicle on site 400 which describes anevent performed by the vehicle and/or a status of the vehicle. Forexample, many construction vehicles are equipped with machine controland guidance systems which use position determining components to logevents and the geographic positions where these events take place. Oneexample is the Trimble GCS900 system which is commercially availablefrom Trimble Navigation Limited, of Sunnyvale, Calif. In one embodiment,event receiver 225 receives an indication from a vehicle on site 400which describes an action or event which has been performed by thevehicle. For example, a bulldozer can report that it has moved a load ofsoil from a first location to a second location of site 400. Because thevehicle control systems frequently use position determining systems(e.g., a terrestrial based, or satellite based position determiningsystem such as the Global Navigation Satellite System or GNSS), system200 can determine how events such as moving soil affect the status ofsite 400.

In one embodiment, simulator 235 is configured to simulate the movementof earth, or other materials, based on the vehicle type being used. Thiscan be performed on a load by load basis for each vehicle on site 400.Typically, a plurality of simulations is generated by simulator 235 inwhich the material, the mix of vehicles used to move the material, andthe distances which the material is moved are varied. In one embodiment,the simulation(s) model each load of material moved by each vehicle onsite 400. By varying the parameters in which the material is moved bythe vehicles, simulator 235 creates a model(s) for moving the materialto transform the site from its current status to the desired status ofthe site.

In FIG. 2, system 200 further comprises a report generator 230 which isconfigured to generate at least one report 231 which identifies at leastone vehicle of the vehicle pool and defines which load of material is tobe moved by the vehicle from a first location to a second location. Asdescribed above, simulator 235 receives cost scenario 300 as well asdata from status determiner 220. Based upon the simulation(s) generatedby simulator 235 a report(s) 231 is generated by report generator 230.Each report 231 generated by report generator 230 describes the mix ofvehicles on site 400 that can be used to complete the project based uponthe respective simulation run by simulator 235. Thus, report 231describes in detail where material is picked up, by which vehicle, andwhere the material is dropped off. In one embodiment, report 231describes the movement of each load of material on site 400 on a load byload basis. In other words, each load is described in terms of what thematerial comprises (e.g., gravel, sand, topsoil, clay, etc.), whichvehicle is moving that load of material, and where the material ispicked up and dropped off by that vehicle. This provides a much moredetailed estimate of the time and cost to complete a project on site400. Additionally, a user of system 200 can add or subtract vehiclesfrom the vehicle pool data which is input to cost scenario generator210. In so doing, a variety of simulations can be run by simulator 235which describe how varying the mix of vehicles used at site 400 willaffect the cost, and/or time to complete a project on site 400.

In one embodiment, report generator 230 can also receive an indicationof a weighted value which is used to determine a load of material whichis to be moved by a particular vehicle from a first location to a secondlocation of site 400. System 200 can select from the plurality ofsimulations generated by simulator 235 to select options which best fitthe parameters identified by the user of system 200. For example, aweighted value can indicate that material is to be moved from a firstlocation to a second location of site 400 in the least expensive mannerpossible given the current available resources. As a result, thesimulation(s) in which the estimated cost to move the material is thelowest will be selected and/or identified by report generator 230.

Alternatively, a weighted value can indicate that material is to bemoved a quickly as possible from a first location to a second locationof site 400. Based upon this input, the simulation(s) in which thegreatest volume of material can be moved in a given time period will beselected and/or identified by report generator 230. In anotherembodiment, the weighted value can indicate some balance of cost andspeed in moving material. As an example, the cost of moving material mayreceive a weighted value of 80% while the speed of moving the materialmay receive a weighted value of 20%. A user can input different weightedvalues which causes report generator 230 to alter the parameters of thesimulations which it runs in order to generate a report 231.Additionally, other conditions may affect the weighted value. Forexample, if an incentive bonus will be paid to complete the projectearly, this may factor into how material is moved from a first locationto a second location of site 400. Alternatively, an absolute deadlinefor completing the project may be a factor in determining how materialis moved from a first location to a second location of site 400.

In one embodiment, report generator 230 also creates a summary report232. In one embodiment, summary report 232 provides a user of system 200a variety of options for completing a project on site 400. For example,if three reports 231 are generated by report generator 230, summaryreport 232 will describe the cost of implementing each option as well asthe anticipated date of completion for the project for each respectiveoption. Summary report 232 can also describe which operators should beoperating particular vehicles on site 400 based upon the availabilityand the productivity of each respective operator. Summary report 232 canalso generate recommendations for bringing additional vehicles, or otherequipment, into the vehicle pool based upon variables identified by theuse of system 200. Summary report 232 can also generate recommendationsas to whether it is advantageous to work some, or all, of the equipmentoperators on overtime, including how much overtime, based upon useridentified parameters. The user of system 200 can then decide whichoption to implement in order to complete the project at site 400.

Because system 200 can receive updated information regarding vehicleavailability as well as the status of site 400 and other variables,system 200 can generate updated reports 231 and updated summary reports232 periodically. As an example, if a bulldozer breaks down, this can bereported to system 200 and an updated report 231 can be generated basedupon a new simulation generated by simulator 235. The updated report 231can describe how to use the remaining vehicles on site 400 in order tomake up for the loss of the disabled vehicle. It is noted that reportgenerator 230 can also generate an updated summary report 232 whichdescribes the cost of implementing each of a plurality of options basedupon changes in vehicle, or operator availability, or other conditionsat site 400. Thus, system 200 can dynamically provide near real-timerecommendations for utilizing assets such as vehicles and otherequipment on a construction site as conditions at the site change.

In one embodiment, system 200 can use data for a plurality of sitesincluding site 400. For example, a contractor may be working at multiplesites which are physically separate. In one embodiment, the datadescribed above for each of the respective sites is input to system 200.System 200 can then optimize the use of resources across the pluralityof sites. Thus, a user of system 200 can plan the best use of resourcesacross these sites based upon a report(s) from system 200. For example,a user of system 200 can input the data for each of the respective sitesand develop a work flow plan for using a bulldozer at a plurality ofsites most effectively. The work flow plan will describe which site thebulldozer will be working at on a given day based upon work planned forthat site. The bulldozer can then be moved to another site another dayaccording to the work flow plan created by system 200. This allows auser of system 200 to use equipment more efficiently across a pluralityof sites. Additionally, because report 231 can be updated, changes inthe need for an asset at one site can be factored into the machine workflow plan for that asset at another site. For example, if there is adelay at another site which makes the use of a bulldozer unnecessary fora few days, this data can be input into system 200 to generate anupdated report 231. As a result, the work flow at site 400 may bechanged due to the availability of the bulldozer. Alternatively, thebreakdown of equipment at another site may necessitate transferringequipment from site 400. System 200 can be used to determine whichequipment should be transferred from site 400 to the other site(s) andto develop a new report 231 and machine work flow plan(s) 241 to accountfor changes in the availability of equipment at site 400.

In one embodiment, system 200 can be configured to generate machine workflow plans. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, report generator 230 cangenerate machine work flow plan 241 which is conveyed to a particularvehicle working on site 400. Machine work flow plan 241 describes indetail where a particular vehicle will pick up a load of material onsite 400 and where that load will be dropped off by that vehicle. Thus,machine work flow plan 241 can describe each load which is carried ormoved by a particular vehicle on site 400. It is noted that a respectivemachine work flow plan can be generated for each vehicle which is movingmaterial on site 400. In one embodiment, machine work flow plan 241 issent via a wireless transmitter 240 to its respective vehicle. Wirelesstransmitter 240 can utilize a variety of wireless communication systemssuch as a cellular telephone network, a WiFi communication network, aradio network, or other wireless communication network to convey machinework flow plan 241 to a respective vehicle on site 400.

FIG. 3 shows an example cost scenario generated in accordance with oneembodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, column 301 shows the distancethat a material is to be moved. For example, the distances of 0-100meters, 100-200 meters, 200-500 meters, and greater than 500 meters aredefined. Column 2 defines the vehicles comprising the vehicle pool atsite 400. In the present example, a bulldozer (e.g., D6R), a scraper,and an excavator and dump trucks (e.g., 320 and D400 respectively) aredefined. Additionally, cost scenario shows the use of either 1, 2, or 3dump trucks on site 400. Column 303 defines the hourly ownership andoperating cost for each vehicle(s) of the vehicle pool. Columns 304-309define the volume of material per hour which each of the vehicle(s) canmove. Columns 304 and 305 define the volume per-hour of wet and dry clayrespectively that can be moved by the vehicle(s) of the vehicle pool.Columns 306 and 307 define the volume per-hour of wet and dry topsoilrespectively that can be moved by the vehicle(s) of the vehicle pool.Columns 308 and 309 define the volume per-hour of wet and dry rockrespectively that can be moved by the vehicle(s) of the vehicle pool.

Columns 310-315 define the cost per linear cubic meter for movingmaterials using the vehicle(s) of the vehicle pool of site 400. In theexample of FIG. 3 the cost per linear cubic meter is determined bydividing the hourly ownership and operating cost by the volume per hourthat can be moved by that vehicle(s) times the farthest distance definedin column 301. Columns 310 and 311 define the cost per linear cubicmeter for moving wet and dry clay respectively by the vehicle(s) of thevehicle pool. Columns 312 and 313 define the cost per linear cubic meterfor moving wet and dry topsoil respectively by the vehicle(s) of thevehicle pool. Columns 314 and 315 define the cost per linear cubic meterfor moving wet and dry rock respectively by the vehicle(s) of thevehicle pool.

In FIG. 3, column 304 shows that the greatest volume of wet clay can bemoved in the distance of 0-100 meters using the bulldozer (D6R). In thedistance of 100-200 meters, the greatest volume of wet clay can be movedusing either of the bulldozer (D6R), the scraper, or the combination ofan excavator (e.g., 320) and either two or three dump trucks (e.g.,D400). In the distance between 200-500 meters, the greatest volume ofwet clay can be moved using the combination of the excavator and threedump trucks. An analysis of columns 305-309 shows that the vehicle(s)capable of moving the most material depends upon the type of material,its moisture content, and the distance the material is to be moved.

Column 310 of FIG. 3 shows that the most cost effective (e.g., thelowest cost per linear cubic meter of material moved) vehicle for movingwet clay for a distance of 0-100 meters is the bulldozer. Thus, thebulldozer can move the greatest amount of wet clay per hour and at thelowest cost for a distance of 0-100 meters. In the distance of 100-200meters, the scraper is the most cost effective vehicle for moving wetclay. Thus, while either of the bulldozer, the scraper, or thecombination of the excavator and two or three dump trucks are capable ofmoving the same volume of wet clay per hour, cost scenario 300identifies the scraper as the most cost effective vehicle for moving wetclay a distance between 100 and 200 meters.

Referring again to FIG. 4, if the distance between location 411 and 431of site 400 is 100-200 meters, then either of bulldozer 450, scraper451, or dump trucks 453 a, 453 b, and/or 453 c in conjunction with anexcavator (not shown) can move the greatest volume of wet clay asindicated by column 304 of cost scenario 300. However, column 310 ofcost scenario 300 indicates that scraper 451 is the most cost effectivevehicle to use when moving wet clay for this distance.

In column 310, the combination of the excavator and two dump trucks isshown to be the most cost effective use of the vehicle pool to move wetclay a distance between 200 and 500 meters. This is in contrast to thedata in column 304 which indicates that the combination of the excavatorand three dump trucks is capable of moving the greatest volume of wetclay per hour. Thus, if a user is more concerned with moving thegreatest volume of wet clay per hour, cost scenario 300 indicates thatan excavator and 3 dump trucks should be used. However, if the user ismore concerned with the most cost effective vehicle combination, costscenario 300 indicates that the user should use an excavator incombination with 2 dump trucks.

Referring again to FIG. 4, if the distance between location 412 and 432of site 400 is 200-500 meters, then dump trucks 453 a, 453 b, and 453 cin conjunction with an excavator (not shown) can move the greatestvolume of wet clay as indicated by column 304 of cost scenario 300.However, column 310 of cost scenario 300 indicates that using only twoof the dump trucks, in conjunction with the excavator, is the most costeffective vehicle mix to use when moving wet clay for this distance.

For moving wet clay a distance greater than 500 meters, column 304indicates that a combination of an excavator and 3 dump trucks can movethe greatest volume per hour. Column 310 of cost scenario 300 indicatesthat the combination of an excavator and 3 dump trucks is also the mostcost effective vehicle mix for moving wet clay a distance greater than500 meters.

Referring again to FIG. 4, if the distance between location 413 and 433of site 400 is greater than 500 meters, then dump trucks 453 a, 453 b,and 453 c in conjunction with an excavator (not shown) can move thegreatest volume of wet clay as indicated by column 304 of cost scenario300. Additionally, column 310 of cost scenario 300 indicates that usingall three of the dump trucks in conjunction with the excavator is alsothe most cost effective vehicle mix to use when moving wet clay for thisdistance.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are an example flowchart implemented by a system (e.g.,200) for asset management of a material on a construction site inaccordance with one embodiment. In operation 501 of FIG. 5A, theavailable vehicle pool at a given time is defined. At a given point intime, the available vehicles for a vehicle pool can change dependingupon scheduled maintenance, when rented machines are available, how longit takes to get vehicles to a site, the demands for vehicles at anothersite, equipment failure, etc. In one embodiment, this vehicle pool datais received by cost scenario generator 210.

In operation 502 of FIG. 5A, a cost scenario is prepared that definesthe cost over distance for different vehicle mixes, material types,moisture content, and distances across a site. As described above withreference to FIG. 3, cost scenario 300 can be generated using data fromequipment manufacturer's handbooks for vehicles in a vehicle pool and/orhistorical data for vehicles in the vehicle pool which is input intocost scenario generator 210. In one embodiment, this data can beaccessed from a database which is coupled with system 200. Cost scenariogenerator 210 uses this data to generate at least one cost scenariowhich defines, but is not limited to, the cost over distance fordifferent vehicle mixes based upon the available vehicles in the vehiclepool. In one embodiment, the cost scenario accounts for differentmaterial types, moisture content of the different materials, theownership and operating costs for the vehicles, and distances which thematerial may be moved around the site. This facilitates assigning tasksat the site based upon available vehicles, the material being moved, andother conditions which may impact the decision to use a particularvehicle for a given task.

Additionally, by changing the vehicle pool data, different costscenarios can be created which facilitate identifying whether it isadvantageous to bring in additional vehicles to the vehicle pool fromoutside the site. These vehicles could be rented, purchased, orcurrently located at another site by the user of system 200. Thus, inone embodiment, the cost of renting or purchasing vehicles, or otherequipment, can be input to cost scenario generator 210. For example, ifadditional vehicles become available during a project, a user candetermine if it is advantageous to use those vehicles at the currentsite, or at another site.

As described above with reference to FIG. 3, cost scenario 300identified the rate at which a given type of material can be moveddepending upon which vehicles are being used to move the material.Additionally, cost scenario 300 shows that the cost for moving amaterial varies depending upon which vehicles are being used to move thematerial and the distance the material is being moved. Cost scenario 300also showed that the least expensive mix of vehicles for moving thematerial may not in every instance be the fastest.

In operation 503 of FIG. 5A, the current status of a project is defined.In one embodiment, an up-to-date electronic model of the site is createdand input into, for example, status determiner 220. The current statuscan be the initial terrain configuration of a site, or show the terrainconfiguration after some contouring of the terrain has occurred. Theelectronic model of the site can be based upon, but not limited to, realtime terrain updates from the site, site surveys, aerial photography,laser scanning, or other methods for determining the terrainconfiguration of the site. Real time terrain updates may include updatesfrom vehicles or other machines and devices on the site. For example, adump truck can log the geographic coordinates (as determined by a GNSSor other position determining system) as well as the volume and type ofmaterial which is deposited at a location of a site.

In one embodiment, the current status of the project includes a cut/fillstatus which shows where material has been cut, or is to be cut, fromthe site. The cut/fill status also can show where cut and fill sectionsare located on the site. In one embodiment, a color coded map of areasof cut and fill is created which is optionally tagged with an attributeof the material type (e.g., wet clay, dry clay, rock, etc.) to enablesystem 200 to determine where cut material can be used on a site.

In operation 504 of FIG. 5A, the current and/or forecast site conditionsare defined and input into status determiner 220. In one embodiment,site conditions are optionally defined for system 200. As describedabove, site conditions can indicate whether a particular type of vehicleis better suited for a particular task on a site. For example, standarddump trucks operate well on paved or gravel roads, but are not wellsuited for hauling loads in muddy conditions. Instead, an articulateddump truck is typically better suited for muddy or rough terrainconditions. Thus, system 200 is configured to receive site conditiondata to facilitate determining the mix of vehicles of a vehicle pool ata site, as well as identifying tasks for those vehicles to perform andwhen those tasks should be performed. As an example, the current and/orforecast weather conditions can be defined. This can be based uponhistorical, or currently recorded weather data for that site. As anexample of historical weather data, it can be determined that it rainsat a site 30% of the period for which a particular project is scheduled.

Additional site conditions can indicate the type of roads present on asite. As an example, during a construction project, the terrain at thesite is modified to create the final terrain configuration. This mayalso include the building of temporary roads to facilitate the movementof materials, or the construction of a more permanent road which is partof the final terrain model. Thus, as the building of these roadsproceeds, the site conditions can be modified to reflect changes in thestatus of the project. Additionally, the width and surface material of aroad affects the speed at which the vehicles can move around the siteand the round trip time required for a vehicle to haul and dump a loadof material and return to pick up another load. Furthermore, if anunimproved road on the site is muddy because of recent rains, themovement of wheeled vehicles on this road will be slower. Thus,identifying site conditions facilitates determining how materials are tobe moved around the site, and by what type of vehicle.

Another example of site conditions is a geological report of the area.This can include the location, depth, and types of soil at the site. Asdescribed above with reference to FIG. 3, the cost of moving differenttypes of materials varies for different vehicles of the vehicle pool.Additionally, some types of material are better suited for use as fillthan others. As an example, clay is not well suited as a fill materialwhile rock is. As a result, the clay may have to be hauled offsite, ordeposited in another location of site 400 away from fill section 430.The geological report can also be used to determine the volume ofmaterial which will be moved to various locations of the site.Furthermore, knowledge of the soil types around a worksite, as well asrecent weather data, can be used by moisture content estimator 211 toestimate the moisture content of soil at the site.

In operation 505 of FIG. 5A, the speed at which a material can be movedis defined. In one embodiment, the speed at which a material can bemoved is input to status determiner 220. When material is moved aroundsite 400, or via public roads outside of site 400, the trafficconditions and traffic loading will affect the speed at which materialcan be moved. A traffic variable can be defined and input to statusdeterminer 220 to account for the varying cost of moving materialdepending upon the traffic conditions. In one embodiment, the trafficconditions can be in part defined by what time of day the material isbeing moved. For example, during typical rush hour periods, it can beinput to status determiner 220 that it takes twice as long to movematerial outside of site 400. This data can be modified based uponactual conditions. Additionally, traffic conditions on site 400 can varydepending upon what projects are in progress. Thus, the trafficconditions on site 400 itself can also be input to status determiner220, and updated periodically throughout the day, to account for trafficconditions on site 400.

In operation 506 of FIG. 5A, the operator availability at a site isdefined. In one embodiment, the availability of operators for vehiclesof the vehicle pool at site 400 is optionally input to status determiner220. The availability of operators for the various vehicles on site 400can affect the progress of the project. For example, a lack of trainedoperators for an excavator will affect whether using dump trucks to movematerial on site 400 is an option. As another example, if there are fivebulldozers on site 400, but only three bulldozer operators, this willaffect the options for moving material on site 400. Anotherconsideration is whether to work some, or all, of the operators overtimeduring a project. As an example, if there is an incentive bonus beingpaid to complete the project at site 400 earlier than a given date, itmay be advantageous to pay the additional overtime wages. In anotherexample, if there are not enough operators for all of the vehicles on asite, system 200 can be used to determine whether it is advantageous tohave some operators work overtime to make up for lost productivity. Inone embodiment, a database coupled with system 200 can be accessed whichlists each of the vehicle operators available at site 400 and whichvehicles each operator is trained to operate. This data can be accessedby status determiner 220 to assist in determining how to move materialaround site 400.

In operation 507 of FIG. 5A, the productivity of an operator is defined.In one embodiment, input regarding the productivity of some, or each,operator of a vehicle on site 400 can be optionally input to statusdeterminer 220. There are commercially available software programs whichare capable of recording operator productivity levels for each type ofvehicle which they operate. In one embodiment, the identity of anoperator of each vehicle used on site 400 can be input to statusdeterminer 220. The data regarding the productivity of that operator forthe type of vehicle which will be operated can then be accessed and usedto assist in determining how to move material around site 400. Forexample, if a particular operator of a bulldozer moves only 90% of theblade capacity of the bulldozer on average, the operator may have tomake additional pushes with the bulldozer to move the full volume ofmaterial which is required. This data can be used in determining howmany pushes with bulldozers will be needed to complete a task. Oneembodiment uses this data to assign tasks to that operator and others onsite 400.

In operation 508 of FIG. 5B, the delivery times of materials to the siteis defined. In one embodiment, the delivery of materials can beoptionally input to status determiner 220. Examples of the delivery ofmaterials include, but are not limited to, the delivery of manufactureditems such as pipes or pre-cast structures, the delivery of concrete,the delivery of asphalt, the delivery of base coarse materials, etc. Asdiscussed above, the delivery of materials will affect whether a projectcan proceed, or should be halted. This can also determine whetherresources, such as vehicles, can be diverted from a halted project toanother project on site 400, or to another site away from site 400. Thedelivery of materials to other sites outside of site 400 may alsodetermine whether resources can be diverted to site 400 from outsidesites.

I operation 509 of FIG. 5B, the availability of specialized equipment ata site is defined. In one embodiment, the availability of specializedequipment is optionally input to status determiner 220. This data can beused by system 200 to prioritize events on site 400. As an example, ifpaving equipment will not be available for 2 weeks, it may not beadvantageous to complete the preparation of the roadbed earlier thanwhen the paving equipment becomes available. The vehicles and resourcesused to prepare the roadbed could be diverted to other tasks until somepoint at which preparation of the roadbed can resume. In one embodiment,system 200 can use the availability of specialized equipment on site 400to prioritize projects on site 400 and/or prioritize tasks for vehicleson site 400.

In operation 510 of FIG. 5B, a weighted value is defined. In oneembodiment, user defined variables are optionally input to reportgenerator 230. For example, a user can assign a weighted value of 100%to completing the project on site 400 as early as possible. This may bein order to make resources used on site 400 available to other projects.In another example, if an incentive bonus will be paid to complete theproject early, the user of system 200 may wish to use a vehicle mixwhich moves the greatest volume of material in a given time period.Alternatively, if there is no incentive to complete the project before acertain date, a user of system 200 may assign a weighted value of 100%to minimize the cost of moving material around site 400. In other words,the user may wish to use a vehicle mix which moves the material at thelowest cost. Referring again to FIG. 3, cost scenario 300 conveys howmuch material can be moved in a given time period (e.g., cubic metersper hour as shown in column 304 of FIG. 3) as well as the cost of movingmaterial (e.g., cost/linear cubic meter as shown in column 310 of FIG.3). Thus, It is noted that ratio of cost versus speed may be indicatedusing the weighted value. For example, a user of system 200 may assign aweighted value of 80% to minimize the cost of moving material and aweighted value of 20% to moving the material in the shortest amount oftime. It is noted that other variables in addition to the cost of movingmaterial or the rate of moving material can receive weighed values inone embodiment.

In operation 511 of FIG. 5B, a report is generated. As described abovewith reference to FIG. 2, report 231 is generated by report generator230. In one embodiment, report generator receives status data of site400 as well as one or more cost scenario(s) 300 from cost scenariogenerator 210. Simulator 235 is configured to simulate the movement ofearth, or other materials, based on the vehicle type being used. Inother words, a simulation can be run for each machine type on a pass bypass basis for bulldozers and scrapers, or a bucket by bucket basis forexcavators, or for a combination of a mixture of vehicle types beingused on site 400. As described above, the simulation can account forvariables such as soil type and moisture content, site conditions,operator availability and productivity, equipment and materialavailability, or other variables. In one embodiment, simulator 235 isconfigured to run a plurality of simulations in which the vehicle mix,load carried by each vehicle, and other parameters are changed in orderto determine an advantageous plan for moving material around site 400.

Report 231 comprises at least one mass haul plan which specifies avehicle from the vehicle pool and a load of material which is to bemoved by that vehicle. The mass haul plan also identifies a firstlocation of site 400 where the material is picked up by a vehicle and asecond location of site 400 where the load is dropped off by thatvehicle. In one embodiment, report 231 can specify each load carried byeach vehicle on site 400 as well as the In contrast, conventional masshaul plans show where a cut section is located, where a fill section islocated, and the distance to move the fill material from the cut sectionto the fill section. Typically, the distance is from the center mass ofthe cut section to the center mass of the fill section receivingmaterial from the cut section. In contrast, report 231 provides greaterdetail regarding where material is picked up and deposited and by whichvehicle on a load by load basis. In so doing, report 231 gives a muchmore precise simulation of the cost, and time to complete a project onsite 400.

In one embodiment, report generator 230 generates a plurality of reports231 to simulate a variety of options a user of system 200 can exercisein allocating the use of resources on site 400. In one embodiment,report generator 230 creates a summary report 232 which conveys to auser of system 200 the cost of implementing a particular option basedupon the reports 231 which have been generated. For example, reportgenerator 230 may create 5 separate reports 231 which implementdifferent mixes of vehicles from the vehicle pool. Summary report 232can describe the cost of implementing each of the options as well as theanticipated completion date based upon implementing that option. Summaryreport 232 can also describe which mix of vehicles from the vehicle poolto use. For example, this can describe on a day to day basis whichvehicles to use on site 400. Summary report 232 can also describe whichoperators to use and which vehicle that operator should use. Summaryreport 232 can also recommend adding additional vehicles to the vehiclepool. This can include bringing in additional equipment from othersites, or renting or purchasing additional equipment. In one embodiment,summary report 232 can also generate an approximate work flow for eachvehicle on site 400 based upon its assumed start location. In otherwords, the schedule of movement of each vehicle on site 400 can beplanned by system 200.

In operation 512 of FIG. 5B, a machine work flow plan is generated. Inone embodiment, a machine workflow plan for each vehicle can beoptionally generated by report generator. Referring to FIG. 2, reportgenerator 230 also creates machine work flow plan 241 which is conveyedwirelessly to a corresponding vehicle of the vehicle pool using wirelesstransmitter 240. It is noted that it is not required to convey themachine work flow plan wirelessly in one embodiment. In one embodiment,wireless transmitter 240 sends a respective machine work flow plan 241to each vehicle on site 400. Alternatively, wireless transmitter 240 mayonly send a respective machine work flow plan 241 to each earthmovingvehicle on site 400. In one embodiment, each vehicle on site 400 isconfigured with a display which tells an operator which location todrive to in order to pick up a load of material, how material to load ormove, and the location where the material is to be dropped off. Thedisplay may also tell the operator which route to take when moving thematerial and the return route to pick up a second load of material.

In one embodiment, each vehicle on site 400 is equipped with reportingsystems which are configured to report back to system 200 in order toupdate report 231. Thus, upon moving a load of material and depositingit at a location of site 400 according to machine work flow plan 241,the event is logged and electronically transmitted to event receiver 225which inputs this data to status determiner 220. This data is used toupdate report 231 based upon the current status of site 400. Forexample, an operator may not move as much material as planned, or maydump the material at the wrong location. This information can be inputto system 200 so that new machine work flow plans 241 can be generatedto account for differences between the planned movement of materialaround site 400 and the actual movement of that material.

The following discussion describes the use of system 200 to manage themovement of a material on a site in accordance with one embodiment. Itis noted that all of the features and operations described below are notnecessary in each embodiment. Furthermore, the following discussion isnot intended to imply a particular sequence of operations. Referringagain to FIG. 4, a user of system 400 will be building road 420. Adigital model of the terrain of site 400 (e.g., the current site status)is either input to status determiner 220, or is created by statusdeterminer 220 based upon data such as survey data, aerial photography,laser scanning, a combination of the above, or some other method forconveying the configuration of site 400. The user also inputs, orcreates, a digital model of the final terrain configuration of site 400(e.g., the desired site status). The user can also input, or create,interim digital models of site 400 which represent various stages in theconstruction project. As discussed above, region 410 represents a cutsection where soil is to be removed (e.g., from a hillside) while region430 represents a fill section where soil is to be deposited to fill anarea. For the purpose of the following discussion, it is assumed that atleast a portion of the soil removed from region 410 will be deposited inregion 430 as fill.

The user of system 200 also inputs the vehicles comprising the vehiclepool for site 400. In the present example, the vehicle pool on site 400comprises a bulldozer 450, a scraper 451, an excavator (not shown) and aplurality of dump trucks 453 a, 453 b, and 453 c via cost scenariogenerator 210. This data may also include the availability dates of oneor more vehicles (e.g., due to scheduled maintenance) comprising thevehicle pool. It is noted that this data can be accessed via a database,or other data storage device. The user can also input data such asvehicles which could be rented or purchased supplement the vehicle poolas well as vehicles at other sites which could potentially transferredto site 400 and the availability dates of those vehicles. In oneembodiment, cost scenario generator 210 generates at least one costscenario 300 which describes the cost to move soil, and/or the volume ofsoil that can be moved in a time period, based upon the vehicle used,the soil type and moisture content, and the distance which the soil willbe moved. It is noted that other variables affecting the cost to movesoil, and/or the volume of soil that can be moved in a time period, canbe included in cost scenario 300 in another embodiment.

The user of system 200 also inputs data to status determiner 220 such ascurrent site conditions and/or forecast site conditions for the periodwhen construction will take place on site 400. The user also inputs howfast material can be moved on site 400 as well as operator data such asoperator availability and/or operator productivity, scheduledmaintenance for vehicles in the vehicle pool. The user also inputs thedelivery times of materials to site 400 which can also account foroffsite traffic conditions and the availability of specializedequipment. The user of system 200 also inputs similar data for one ormore sites other than site 400.

Simulator 235 uses the data from status determiner 220 as well as costscenario 300 to generate a plurality of simulations. Simulator 235 isconfigured to simulate various conditions on site 400 including, but notlimited to, movement of soil using various combinations of vehicles onsite 400, various times for moving the soil, and movement of soilvarying distances within site 400. This simulation is done on a load byload basis for each vehicle on site 400. In other words, each movementof soil by a vehicle on site 400 is modeled. Additionally, eachsimulation models a different mix of vehicle types for moving soil aswell as different variations in where a particular vehicle picks up aload of soil and where that vehicle offloads, or dumps, the material.Each simulation can simulate the movement of soil from the currentterrain status of site 400 to a desired status such as an interim, orfinal terrain configuration of site 400. The various simulations alsoaccount for the parameters discussed above which may affect how theproject is completed.

The user of system 200 also assigns a weighted value which is used tofacilitate selecting at least one of the simulations created bysimulator 235. As discussed above, the user can place a greater weighton early completion of the project on site 400, completing the projectat the lowest cost, or some combination thereof. This information isused by report generator 230 in identifying at least one of thesimulations which most closely matches the weighted value identified bythe user. For example, if the user identifies completing the project atthe earliest possible date, report generator 230 will select one or moreof the simulations created by simulator 235 which predict the earliestdates for completing the project on site 400. For the purposes of thepresent discussion, it is assumed that report generator generates 5reports 231 which detail the load by load movement of soil for eachvehicle on site 400. Thus, the user is presented with 5 options for howto implement the project on site 400.

Report generator 230 also generates summary report 232 which gives theuser an overview of the reports 231 including, but not limited to, thecost of implementing each of the options as well as the anticipatedcompletion date based upon implementing that option. Summary report 232can also describe which mix of vehicles from the vehicle pool to use.For example, this can describe on a day to day basis which vehicles touse on site 400. Summary report 232 can also describe which operators touse and which vehicle that operator should use. Summary report 232 canalso recommend adding additional vehicles to the vehicle pool. This caninclude bringing in additional equipment from other sites, or renting orpurchasing additional equipment. Summary report 232 can also includedelivery dates for equipment and/or materials from off of site 400 inorder to optimize the work flow.

When the user indicates which of the options will be implemented tocomplete the project on site 400, report generator 230 then generatesmachine work flow plans 241 for each vehicle or other machine used onsite 400. These machine work flow plans can be generated in near realtime, hourly, daily, or at some other interval. These machine work flowplans are then conveyed to wireless transmitter 240. Wirelesstransmitter 240 then sends each machine work flow plan to the respectivevehicle on site 400. As each task assigned to a vehicle is completed,the event is logged using equipment on the respective vehicle and awireless message is sent to system 200. Event receiver 225 receives theevent logging message from each respective vehicle and inputs that datainto status determiner 220. Based upon the logged event data, statusdeterminer 220 updates the current site status of the project. Basedupon the updated site status, report generator 230 can cause simulator235 to generate at least one new simulation based upon the updatedcurrent site status. Based upon the new simulation run by simulator 235,report generator 230 can generate a new report 231, a new summary report323, and/or a new machine work flow plan 241, or a combination of theabove. The user of system 200 can then decide whether to implement thenew work flow based upon the new report 231 and the new summary report323. If the user decides to implement the new plan, the new machine workflow plan 241 can be sent wirelessly to the vehicle(s) which areaffected by the new work flow. It is again noted that the generation ofa new simulation may instead be performed periodically (e.g., hourly,daily, etc.) in one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of asset management of a material on aconstruction site in accordance with one embodiment. In operation 610 ofFIG. 6, a cost to move a material from a first location to a secondlocation based upon the availability of a plurality of vehicles of avehicle pool is defined. As described above, cost scenario generator 210generates at least one cost scenario which defines the cost to movematerial. With reference to FIG. 3, cost scenario 300 defines thedifferent costs to move materials based upon the type, and condition, ofthe material, the type of vehicle used to move the material, and thedistance the material is moved. Cost scenario 300 therefore providesdetailed information on how the movement of material on a site affectsthe cost, and/or the completion date, of a project.

In operation 620 of FIG. 6, a first location of the material and asecond location of the material are identified based upon a currentstatus of the project and a desired status of the project. Based upon acomparison of the current site status and a desired site status, system200 can identify a first location for picking up material and a secondlocation where the material is to be dropped off or dumped. Referringagain to FIG. 4, status determiner 220 receives, or creates, a digitalmodel of site 400 which indicates its current configuration. Statusdeterminer 220 also receives, or creates, a digital model of site 400which indicates a desired status. It is again noted that the desiredstatus of site 400 can be the final terrain configuration of site 400after a project has been completed or an interim terrain configurationof site 400 during the project. As discussed with reference to FIG. 4,system 200 is configured to identify a first location (e.g., 411 of FIG.4) at which material is to be picked up from the cut section of region410. System 200 is further configured to identify a second location(e.g., location 431 of FIG. 4) at which the material is to be droppedoff or dumped at the fill section of region 430. In one embodiment,simulator 235 can generate on a load by load basis a plurality ofsimulations for moving the material from location 411 to location 431using different vehicle mixes of the vehicles available on site 400. Incontrast, conventional mass haul plans typically describe the volume anddirection of movement of material from the center mass of where the fillmaterial is cut to the center mass of the fill section receiving thefill material.

In operation 630 of FIG. 6, a report is generated which defines a loadof the material and a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles which is usedto move the load of the material from the first location to the secondlocation. Based upon the current status of the site and the desiredstatus of the project, simulator 235 can generate a plurality ofsimulations which model various options for moving vehicle on a load byload basis. This facilitates identifying the vehicle mix which can movethe material to best suit parameters identified by a user. For example,if the user wants to move the greatest volume of material using theavailable vehicle mix, simulator 235 can generate at least one scenariowhich identifies how to move the greatest volume of material based uponthe available vehicle mix. Report generator 230 can then generate areport 231 which identifies, on a load by load basis, how the materialshould be moved. Each load of material is identified by where thevehicle is to pick up the material (e.g., the first location) and wherethe material is to be dropped off or dumped (e.g., the second location).The report can also include information such as how much material andwhat type of material is to be moved.

With reference to FIG. 7, embodiments are comprised of computer-readableand computer-executable instructions that reside, for example, incomputer system 700 which is used as a part of a general purposecomputer network (not shown). It is appreciated that computer system 700of FIG. 7 is intended as an example and that embodiments can operatewithin a number of different computer systems including general-purposecomputer systems, embedded computer systems, laptop computer systems,hand-held computer systems, and stand-alone computer systems. It isnoted that system 200 of FIG. 2 can be implemented on computer system700.

In the present embodiment, computer system 700 includes an address/databus 701 for conveying digital information between the variouscomponents, a central processor unit (CPU) 702 for processing thedigital information and instructions, a volatile main memory 703comprised of volatile random access memory (RAM) for storing the digitalinformation and instructions, and a non-volatile read only memory (ROM)704 for storing information and instructions of a more permanent nature.In addition, computer system 700 may also include a data storage device705 (e.g., a magnetic, optical, floppy, or tape drive or the like) forstoring vast amounts of data. It should be noted that the softwareprogram for performing asset management of a material on a constructionsite in accordance with embodiments can be stored either in volatilememory 703, data storage device 705, or in another data storage device(not shown).

Devices which are optionally coupled to computer system 700 include adisplay device 706 for displaying information to a computer user, analpha-numeric input device 707 (e.g., a keyboard), and a cursor controldevice 708 (e.g., mouse, trackball, light pen, etc.) for inputting data,selections, updates, etc. Computer system 700 can also include amechanism for emitting an audible signal (not shown).

Returning still to FIG. 7, optional display device 706 of FIG. 7 may bea liquid crystal device, cathode ray tube, or other display devicesuitable for creating graphic images and alpha-numeric charactersrecognizable to a user. Optional cursor control device 708 allows thecomputer user to dynamically signal the two dimensional movement of avisible symbol (cursor) on a display screen of display device 706. Manyimplementations of cursor control device 708 are known in the artincluding a trackball, mouse, touch pad, joystick, or special keys onalpha-numeric input 707 capable of signaling movement of a givendirection or manner displacement. Alternatively, it will be appreciatedthat a cursor can be directed and/or activated via input fromalpha-numeric input 707 using special keys and key sequence commands.Alternatively, the cursor may be directed and/or activated via inputfrom a number of specially adapted cursor directing devices.

Furthermore, computer system 700 can include an input/output (I/O)signal unit (e.g., interface) 709 for interfacing with a peripheraldevice 710 (e.g., a computer network, modem, mass storage device, etc.).Accordingly, computer system 700 may be coupled in a network, such as aclient/server environment, whereby a number of clients (e.g., personalcomputers, workstations, portable computers, minicomputers, terminals,etc.) are used to run processes for performing desired tasks.

Embodiments of the present technology are thus described. While thepresent technology has been described in particular embodiments, itshould be appreciated that the present technology should not beconstrued as limited by such embodiments, but rather construed accordingto the following claims.

1. A computer implemented method for management of materials on aconstruction site, said method comprising: determining, by a computersystem, a status of a project which uses at least one material;generating, by said computer system, a report which identifies a vehiclefrom a vehicle pool to be utilized to move said material and defines aload of said material which is to be moved by said vehicle, according toa mass haul plan, from a first location to a second location, whereinsaid vehicle identified based on results of a simulation; automaticallyupdating, by said computer system, said status of said project based onan actual size and an actual drop-off location of said load of saidmaterial moved by said vehicle; and updating, with said computer system,said report based on said updating of said status of said project. 2.The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising: generating, by saidcomputer system, at least one simulation which models each movement ofsaid material, with vehicles of said vehicle pool, based upon a currentstatus of said site and a desired status of said site.
 3. The method asrecited in claim 1 further comprising: conveying, from said computersystem, a machine work flow plan wirelessly to said vehicle.
 4. Themethod as recited in claim 1 further comprising: defining, by saidcomputer system, costs to move said material from said first location tosaid second location using each of a plurality of vehicles of saidvehicle pool.
 5. The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising:determining at least one variable of said material which affects saidcosts.
 6. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising:determining moisture content of said material.
 7. The method as recitedin claim 4 further comprising: defining at least one site variableselected from the group consisting of: a distance to move said materialfrom said first location to said second location, a road conditionbetween said first location and said second location, how fast saidmaterial can be moved from said first location to said second location,a time when said material is moved from said first location to saidsecond location, and a weather variable.
 8. The method as recited inclaim 4 further comprising: receiving an indication of a weighted valuewhich is used to assign said load of said material to said vehicle andwherein said weighted value is selected from the group consisting of:minimizing said cost to move said material from said first location tosaid second location and maximizing a volume of said material which canbe moved from said first location to said second location.
 9. The methodas recited in claim 4 further comprising: receiving an indicationselected from the group consisting of: availability of an operator forsaid vehicle, and productivity of said operator of said vehicle.
 10. Themethod as recited in claim 1 wherein said vehicle pool comprises aplurality of vehicles, said method further comprising: determining whichof said plurality of vehicles are available; and generating a pluralityof reports which define how said material is to be moved by said vehiclepool.
 11. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising:identifying at least one additional vehicle which can be included insaid vehicle pool from an outside site.
 12. The method as recited inclaim 1 wherein said generating said report further comprises: defininga route for said vehicle to use.
 13. A computer implemented system formanaging an asset on a construction site, said system comprising: areport generator configured to generate a report which identifies avehicle from a vehicle pool with which to move a material and defineswhich load of said material is to be moved by said vehicle, according toa mass haul plan, from a first location to a second location, whereinsaid vehicle is identified based on results of a simulation; and astatus determiner configured to determine a status of a project whichuses said material, wherein said status determiner is configured toautomatically update said status of said project at a user selectableinterval based on an actual size and an actual drop-off location of saidload of said material moved by said vehicle; and wherein said reportgenerator is further configured to update said report based on saidupdates to said status of said project from said status determiner. 14.The system of claim 13 further comprising: a simulator configured togenerate at least one simulation which models each movement of saidmaterial, with vehicles of said vehicle pool, based upon a currentstatus of said site and a desired status of said site.
 15. The system ofclaim 13 further comprising: a wireless transmitter configured to conveya machine work flow plan wirelessly to said vehicle.
 16. The system ofclaim 13 further comprising: a cost scenario generator implemented bysaid computer system and further configured to define costs to move saidmaterial from said first location to said second location using each ofa plurality of vehicles of said vehicle pool.
 17. The system of claim 16wherein said cost scenario generator is further configured to receive anindication of a plurality of vehicles comprising said vehicle pool whichare available; and wherein said report generator is configured togenerate a plurality of reports which define how said material is to bemoved by said vehicle pool.
 18. The system of claim 17 wherein saidreport generator is further configured to define a route to be used bysaid vehicle when moving said load of said material from said firstlocation to said second location and to define a route to be used bysaid vehicle when returning from said second location to said firstlocation.
 19. The system of claim 17 wherein said cost scenariogenerator is further configured to receive an indication of at least oneadditional vehicle which can be included in said vehicle pool from anoutside site.
 20. The system of claim 16 wherein said cost scenariogenerator is further configured to receive at least one variable of saidmaterial which affects said costs.
 21. The system of claim 20 furthercomprising a moisture content estimator configured to generate anestimate of moisture content of said material.
 22. The system of claim13 wherein said status determiner is further configured to receive atleast one site variable selected from the group consisting of: adistance to move said material from said first location to said secondlocation, a road condition between said first location and said secondlocation, how fast said material can be moved from said first locationto said second location, a time when said material is moved from saidfirst location to said second location, and a weather variable.
 23. Thesystem of claim 13 wherein said report generator is further configuredto receive an indication of a weighted value which is used to assignsaid load of said material to said vehicle and wherein said weightedvalue is selected from the group consisting of: minimizing cost to movesaid material from said first location to said second location andmaximizing volume of said material which can be moved from said firstlocation to said second location.
 24. The system of claim 13 whereinsaid status determiner is further configured to receive an indicationselected from the group consisting of: availability of an operator forsaid vehicle, and productivity of said operator of said vehicle.
 25. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructionsstored thereon which, when implemented by a computer system, cause thecomputer system to perform a method of asset management of a material ona construction site, said method comprising: identifying a firstlocation of a material used on a site and a second location to whichsaid material is to be moved with a vehicle pool comprising a pluralityof vehicles, said identifying based upon a current status of a projectbeing constructed at said site and a desired status of said project;generating a report which defines a load of said material and selects avehicle from said plurality of vehicles to be utilized to move said loadof said material, according to a mass haul plan, from said firstlocation to said second location; automatically updating said status ofsaid project based on an actual size and an actual drop-off location ofsaid load of said material moved by said vehicle; and updating saidreport based on said updating of said status of said project.
 26. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25wherein said method further comprises: defining costs to move a materialfrom said first location to said second location based upon availabilityof said plurality of vehicles of said vehicle pool.
 27. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25wherein said method further comprises: generating at least onesimulation which models each movement of said material, with vehicles ofsaid vehicle pool, based upon said current status of said project and adesired status of said project.
 28. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium as recited in claim 25 wherein said method furthercomprises: conveying a machine work flow plan wirelessly to said vehiclewhich identifies said first location, said second location, and saidload of said material.
 29. The non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium as recited in claim 28 wherein said method further comprises:conveying a route to use when moving said load of said material.
 30. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25wherein said method further comprises: determining moisture content ofsaid material.
 31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumas recited in claim 25 wherein said method further comprises: definingat least one variable selected from the group consisting of: a distanceto move said material from said first location to said second location,a road condition between said first location and said second location,how fast said material can be moved from said first location to saidsecond location, a time when said material is moved from said firstlocation to said second location, and a weather variable.
 32. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25wherein said method further comprises: receiving an indication of aweighted value which is used to assign said load of said material to aparticular vehicle of said vehicle pool and wherein said weighted valueis selected from the group consisting of: minimizing cost to move saidmaterial from said first location to said second location and maximizingvolume of said material which can be moved from said first location tosaid second location.
 33. The non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium as recited in claim 25 wherein said method further comprises:receiving an indication selected from the group consisting of:availability of an operator for said vehicle, and productivity of saidoperator of said vehicle.